Ship stabilizer



April 23, 1929. H. KAPIGIAN SHIP STABILIZER Filed Jan. 20. 1928 25 Sheets-Sheet ZGZZ, mum

Hazy

AT IORNIY April 23, 1929. H. KAPIGIAN 5 SHIP STABILIZBR Filed Jan. 20, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Hazy gafifyl ajz mvnrron April 23, 1929. H. KAPIGIAN SHIP STABILIZER Filed Jan. 20. 1928 3 Sheets-SM 3 Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES HAIG KAPIGIAN, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

SHIP STABILIZER.

hpplicatlon filed January 20, 1928. Set'lalfl'u. 248,193.

The present invention relates to an improved stabilizer for ships, either sea-going vessels or life boats or for aeroplanes, the purpose being to provide pontoons arranged on the sides of the body of the ship or aeroplane and provided with extensible means whereby the pontoons may be extended laterally of the body of the hull or returned 'tothe side of the body of the hull accordingly as may be desired.

Another purpose is to provide improved means for extending or retracting the pontoons.

Another purpose is to provide means formed in the sides of the hull for the reception ofthe pontoons when they are retracted, the pontoons when rendered extensible acting to stabilize the ship, namely to overcome the side, fore and aft roll of the ship, thereby producing buoyancy for the ship.

Another purpose is to provide, in a device of this kind, a construction wherein the resistance that the pontoons may offer to the swift passage of the vessel may be ofi-setto r a substantial amount.

Still another purpose is to provide a stabilizer of this character including pontoons which may be weighted in any manner, substantially thirty-one (31) pounds per cubic foot, or any substantial suitable means being devised for varying the weight in the pentoons.

It is well established that when aeroplanes are traveling over seas and a forced landing is necessary the pilotor operator has no way of insuring safety for a substantial period. If aid is not received for the unfortunate one in danger, the aeroplane though it may remain afloat for quite awhile, will eventually sink. Obviously a plane in this particular instance may be easily destroyed before aid might be rendered. Hence it is still another purpose of the present invention to provide a stabilizer. which applicable to an aeroplane as well as to the sides of a. ship's hull.

It is to be understood that the particulars herein given are in now *ay limitative, and that while still keeping within the scope of the invention, any desired modification of details and proportions may be made in the construction of the appliance according to circumstances.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts to be hereinafter the lower part of its wall partly in section showing the pontoons retracted within the sides of the ships hull.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the ships hull showing transverse openings formed through the hull of the ship, and through said openings the waves may enter to decrease fore and aft pitching.

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the pontoons asapplied to a life boat, in which case a manually operated winch may be used for extending or retracting the pontoons.

Figure 6 is a detail view with parts in elevation and parts in section showing the means for extending the pontoons laterally.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a conventional type of aeroplane showing the pontoons applied.

Referring to the drawings, 1 identifies a ships hull, which may be any size, any shape, or it may be the hull of a life boat, and which hull is provided in its sides with cavities or recesses or spaces 2 for the reception of pontoons 3. These pontoons are hollow and are capable of rendering the ships hull buoyant, and thereforewhen extended act to prevent the side roll of the ships hull. y

Each pontoon may, as in Figure 1, be

made in sections, though not necessarily, as

it obvious that the pontoon on each side may be in one piece.

However each section constitutes a pontoon. and in such an instance one end of a section may have an inturned portion 4, which receives the conical end 5 of anadjacent section.

The pontoons are rendered extensibleand to accomplish this resultthey are carried on racks 6 which telescope within tubes 7, which have exterior rack teeth 8. The tubes 7 with their teethB are mounted in guides 9 in the sides of the hull in any convenient manner and maybe maintained in guided positions many well-known way.

The tubular racks dperitte transversely of the ships hull, while the racks (i, when en tirely received within the tubular racks 7 also assume a transverse position of the ships hull. The outer ends of the racks 6 are secured to the pontoons as at 10, hence in this manner the pontoons are supported laterally of the ships hull, and the sections thereof in alignment, thereby acting to stabilize the ships hull when extended.

Secured within the ships hull on one of its decks, possibly as shown at 11 in Figure 6, is a bearing 12 which carries a fulcrum 13, on which an arm 14 is adapted to swing. The outer end of this arm carri s astub shaft 15 provided with a gear 16 and a sprocket 1.7. The gear 16 may mesh with the teeth of the rack 6 or with the teeth 8 of the tubular rack 7. The fulcrum or pivot 13 carries a pulley 18 and a sprocket 19, the latter being engaged by a sprocket chain 20, which operates about the sprocket 17.

Arranged in the hull adjacent the bearing 12 secured at 21. is the base of a motor 22, which receives current through the wires 23 from any suitable source. This motor 22 has a shaft 2a provided with a pulley Q5, and with which a belt 26 engages. This belt passes about the pulley 18. Power being transferred through the wires 23, the belt transmits power to the fulcrum or shaft 13 which in turn through the medium of the sprocket 19 and the sprocket 20, power is transmitted to the gear 16. Since the gear 16 meshes with the teeth of the rack 6 or with the teeth of the tubular rack 7. the two racks 6 and 8 may be extended, and the pontoons projected beyond the sides of the ships hull.

Each of the racks 7 are operated by a similar means as shown in Figure 6. hen the rack 7 is extended to its limit, the gear 16 transmits power to the rack 6 and the latter is then extended. When the pontoons are retracted they seat within the recesses or cav ities 2, which extend longitudinally of the sides of the ships hull.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4: the ships hull provided with transverse openings 27, which offset to some extent the fore and aft pitching of the ship. These openings have tapered or inclined sides as shown, and certain walls of the openings are provided with lins 28, which also act to offset to some cxlent the fore and aft pitching of the ship, due to the traveling of the water back and forth through the openings.

The waves during the passage of the ships hull through the water, break or are otherwise shunted within the openings, and due to the fins or blades the waves are broken up. These openings or passages 27 may be in any portion of the ships hull, preferably where the bottoms of the openings may be approximately at normal water level, it being the fact that when the sea is rough the waves will break through the openings and thereby overcome fore and aft pitching and hence keep the ship on an even keel.

As shown in the drawing particularly Figure 5, pontoons are applied to life boats as well as to the sides of the fuselage of an aeroplane, or depending from the bottom of the fuselage as shown in Figure 7.

as shown in Figure 5 the pontoons 3 are curved and tapered as shown, to conform to the sides of the life boat. The pontoons 3 in Figure 5 have racks 30, which coopera to with the gears 31. the shafts on which are sprockets 33. The sprockets 33 are ongaged by s irocket chains 34;, which in turn are operated by the sprockets 35 and 36, which are carried on the crank shaft 37.

The shaft 37 carries two sprockets, there being a shaft 37 at each end of the life boat. Each shaft 2-37 carries a crank 38. 3y rotating the crank motion will be imparted to the shafts 32 and thence motion is imparted to the gears 31 and then to the racks 30, whereby the pontoons may be extended or retracted.

The same arrangement for extending the pontoons 2-5 in Figure 5 may be used for extending and retracting them in Figure 7, where the pontoons are applied to an aeroplane. However an auxiliary sprocket chain 39 cooperates with a sprocket 40, which is carried by a shaft ll, and sprockets 42 for transmitting power to the sprocket chains +13. The sprocket chain 39 is operated by sprockets 4:4 and crank shaft l5. By rotating the crank of the shaft to motion may be imparted to the chain 39 and thereby extend or retract the pontoons in Figure 7.

Suitable guy wires 47 as shown in Figure 2 are connected to the outer ends of the racks and have their inner ends operatively connected with spring drums 4C8, whereby the guy wires may be wound up when the racks are retracted.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed is:

1. In a stabiliz as set forth, a floating bod y, a plurality of pontoons arranged relatively to the sides of the body, said pontoons consisting of a plurality of r-icctions in axial aligi'nnent, one section fitting into the other, the sides of the body having cavities for the reception of the pontoons when rrtracted, extensible means connecting the pontoons to the sides of the body, said extensible means comprising telescoping racks, certain of the racks mounted in guides of the sides of the body, and mechanisms including gears and motors with operative connections between the motors and gears for extending and retracting the racks.

2. In a stabilizer as set forth, a floating body, a plurality of pontoons arranged relative to the sides of the body, said pontoons consisting of a plurality of sections. the sides of the body having cavities or recesses for the reception of the pontoons when retracted, extensible means comprising telescoping racks connecting the pontoons and the sides of the body, guy wires connecting the outer ends of the racks and the sides of the body to assist in supporting the racks and the ontoons, and mechanisms including motors and gears with operative connections between the motors and the gears, the gears adapted for operative connections with the racks for extending and retracting the pontoons.

3. In a stabilizer, the combination with a floating body, of pontoons arranged relatively to the sides of the body, extensible means consisting of telescoping racks, certain of which being connected to the pontoons and others of which mounted in guides of g the body, and mechanisms including gears for operating the racks for extending and retracting them, whereby the pontoons are extended and retracted.

In testimony whereof he affixes his signature.

HAIG KAPIGIAN. 

